5 minute read
Meet Southerton Gunshop
SOUTHERTON GUNS
Alex Sayer heads off to the North-East where, nestled between Grimsby and Hull, she discovers a thriving little community gun store
The one member of staff you couldn’t live without and why…
That’s definitely Carol, she keeps me in order and looks after me. We aren’t married, we just work together.
Tell us a little more about yourself, and why you’re running a gun shop— what your passions are
Originally I was just a part time hobbyist gun seller but in 2008, Carol helped me do the Brocklesby Country Fair on the Yarborough Estate. That was in 2008 and the following year we set up here. We had a great start but the gun sales haven’t really picked up since Covid. I love playing with guns, they just interest me, the mechanisms and all of it. I especially like the old English guns.
What has been the most successful area for you in the past year?
We are well known for spare parts. We don’t need any help on how to rank on Google, put it that way. People always need spare parts. We have bought a load of Hatsan spare parts from Edgar Bros plus a load from Ruger. We have really done well with our spares this last year.
What’s your clientele like?
Mainly people looking for cheap, rough guns. We don’t move much over the £500 mark for shotguns. In the past we’ve stocked big Browning and Beretta bits but they stay on the shelf too long.
In terms of stock we have a real variety, even machine guns and a folding .410 pistol.
What was your best day ever?
I think it was when we had a raid from the police, they sent in four firearms officers and two police to check our books. We were still trading in the meantime, the place was full of coppers. I couldn’t
keep my face straight. They missed a few bits and we wouldn’t help them with their enquiries. We weren’t getting on great by that point. They found what they were looking for in the end. Obviously it was staring me in the face but it’s all water under the bridge now, everything comes and goes doesn’t it?
Who’s your best customer?
They are much of a muchness really. All the same in many ways. I certainly treat them all the same. We do have a good variety of airgun, rifle and shotgunners and of course they all need ammunition.
I guess our best customer is shooter John Winn who talks to them all and likes to keep us company.
If the phone rings ten times, nine will be people wanting to get rid of their guns
What’s your funniest or most memorable story about a customer?
About five years ago we had an old Enfield number seven training rifle hanging about. I let it go cheaply, for £950 in the end. Then about two months later I was at auction and one fetched two grand. I won’t be forgetting that any time soon.
What do you anticipate will be the biggest trends for the next year?
The way the trade is going, nothing really, mostly just people selling flaming guns. Does my head in. Why people let their certificates run out I don’t know. If that phone rings ten times, nine will be people wanting to get rid of their guns.
It wasn’t that long ago we were selling cartridges by the five thousand—now we sell them by the box.
Any other interesting facts about the business?
During lockdown we really diversified. We started selling essentials, things like stamps, bread, milk, soap and dog food. We have always sold cold drinks and tea and coffee from the start but then we became a bit more of a village store. We also stock soap, eggs, chocolate and cranberry juice which, I’ve heard can be essential! On top of that came the ROKR working wooden models. These are fun; there’s a gramophone that plays real records, an AK47 that fires elastic bands, a cannon that fires ping pong balls.
We also started doing Warhammer models, now that was a mistake but we make a bit on the jigsaw puzzles so it’s not all bad.
Southerton Guns stocks everything you could shake a section five walking stick at and then some! We like to think we have everything here.
When you order stock, what’s the first thing you put down?
We always have to order frozen haddock, but guns wise we order stuff that we can get on a deal. If we can buy it cheap then we can sell it cheap and that’s how it goes otherwise stuff will stay on the shelf forever more.
We also sell the latest issue of the Shooting Times, Private Eye, Woman’s Own, Yours and Garden News as well as daily papers and the TV magazines.
What's the best thing about working in a gun shop?
The best thing about working in this gun shop is that we really have become the heart of the village. There is the pub next door but that is it. There is no other shop and so we really do offer a service to people, and me and Carol are proud of that. If someone wants bread—we’ve got it. If someone wants a buttplate to a Baikal—we’ve got it. A spring for a Cogswell and Harrison? Look no further. That’s the best thing about working here, I’m with the guns and I love them and I’m in the community and I love that too. We never have a bad day here.
